Hanger for overhead tracks.



T. LOUDEN;

HANGER FOR OVERHEAD TRACKS. APPLIGATION FILED PEB.10, 1914 Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

l/VI/E/VTR a/LLJ Laien/V' BY /'m ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

THOMAS ILOUDEN, OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO LOUDEN MACHINERY COMPANY, OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA.

HANGER ron OVERHEAD TRACKS.

honesto.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed February 10, 1914. Serial No. 817,953.

To all er1/omit may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS LOUDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in I-Iangers for Overhead Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hangers for overhead tracks having a pair of clamping members adapted to embrace and hold an edge of the track-rail at their lower ends and a hanger memberat their upper ends, and it consists of an improvement whereby the connection between the clamping members and the hanger member may be readily adjusted to make the hanger longer or shorter. Also, of other features set forth in the specification and more definitely pointed out in the claims. n

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a track-hanger embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is the same on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of hanger. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a short section of track-rail to which clamp members B and C are attached by means of a bolt D in the usual manner. The inner faces of the upper ends of the clamp members B and C are fitted with a series of recesses arranged vertically one above the other in two parallel columns. A link shaped hanger member E having headed lower ends e set the proper distance apart to correspond with the two columns of recesses, is inserted therein as particularly shown in Fig. 2. The headed ends c of the member E may be placed in either of the series of recesses in its appropriate column and by this means the length of the hanger may be adjusted to different lengths to the extent of the distance between the different recesses without having to change the lengths of the hanger members E.

The lower ends of the clamping members B and C are held together by the bolt D, and to prevent their upper ends from springing apart and letting the headed ends of the member E slip out of the recesses therein, I form an eye F in the upper end of the member B and a linger G on the upper end of the member C which is adapted to enter the eye F and thus hold the upper ends of the members B and C securely together. In assembling the parts of the hanger, the member E is first placed with its headed ends in the recesses to form the proper length, the finger G is inserted in the eye F, the lower ends of the members B and C are placed on the edge of the track-rail A and the bolt D is inserted and tightened up whereby the parts will be securely held together and in engagement with the track-rail A.

The construction of the modified form of hanger shown by Figs. 5, 6 and 7 is substantially the same with the exception that the hanger member I has a single headed end z' and its upper end is provided with an eye J or other suitable means to connect with an overhead support. Also, the clamping members K and L are fitted with a single series of recesses to accommodate the single headed end z' of the member I and the upper ends of these members are fitted with interlocking lugs M and N instead of the eye F and nger Gr. This modification is necessary to apply my invention to two different styles of hangers, one of them having the link shaped member E with two headed ends e and the other the member I with a single headed end z'. In fact the hanger shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 could as properly be called the modified form and that shown by Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the regular fo-rm, because the only difference between them is that necessary to apply the invention to the two diderent styles of hangers. This adjustable feature in the hangers is valuable in varying grade 0f the track or to adjust it to the inequalities of the overhead supports.

vVhat I claim is:

1. In overhead track hangers, a hanger member adapted at its upper end to be connected with an overhead support and its lower end headed, in combination with a. pair of clamping members having their lower ends fitted to embrace and hold the edge of a track rail between them, and a series of recesses in their inner faces adapted to receive and hold the headed end of the hanger member in different positions with relation to the clamping members.

2. In overhead track hangers, a hanger member adapted at its upper end to be connected with an overhead support and its lower end headed, in combination with a pair of clamping members having their lower ends fitted to embrace the edge of a track rail between them, means to clamp said lower ends upon the edge of the track rail, a series of recesses arranged one above another in the inner faces of the clamping members to receive the headed end of the hanger member in dilerent positions with respect to the clamping members, and means to hold the upper ends of the clamping members together and in substantial engagement with the headed end of the hanger member.

3. ln overhead track hangers, a hanger member adapted at its upper end to be connected with an overhead support and its lower end headed, in combination with a pair of clamping members having their lower ends tted to embrace the edge of a track rail between them, means to clamp said lower ends upon the edge of the track rail, a series of recesses arranged one above another in the inner faces of the clamping members to receive the headed end of the hanger member in different positions with respect to the clamping members, and interlocking means on the upper ends of the clamping members adapted to hold them together and in substantial engagement with the headed end of the hanger member.

4. In overhead track hangers, a hanger member adapted at its upper end to be connected with an overhead support and its lower end headed, in combination with a pair of clamping members having their lower ends fitted to embrace the edge of a track rail between them, means to clamp said lower ends upon the edge of the track rail, a series of recesses arranged one above another in the inner faces of the clamping members to receive the headed end of `the hanger member in different positions with respect to the clamping members, and interlocking lugs on the upper ends of the clamping members adapted to hold them together and in substantial engagement with the headed end of the hanger member.

Fairiield, Iowa, Feb. 5, 1914.

THON AS LOUDEN.

itnesses CARRIE L. BEEDLE, HENRY H. NIEMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

